Terminal
by AnotherStupidLamb
Summary: Bella close your eyes for a minute. What do you see?" He asked. "I see you." I told him honestly, that was all I ever saw when I closed my eyes. “Keep that with you Bella. Whenever you need me, close your eyes and I’ll be there.” -On Hold-
1. Love? Summary

**Summary**

_Isabella Swan works at a hospital, in the cancer ward. She meets Edward Cullen, lukemia patient who is respinding greatly to his radiation treatments. Edward and Bella have known eachother 3 years previous to where we join them in this story. They finally discover the love that has been hidden for so long in secrets and fear of rejection. When Edward stops responding to his radiation, Bella takes a drastic move and decides to check off all of the things Edward wants to see and do before his life comes to an end. In his final words, Edward describes the meaning of life and the afterlife to a completly distraught Bella. He tells her that he'll see her again, but that he'll always be with her anyway. _

_I know you all are going to hate me, but you really need to give it a chance. The ending isn't actually sad. It's really happy and I really like it. I've already written the last few chapters, so don't go on and tell me not to write it that way. Done and Done. I don't really care if you're not going to read it now, I didn't write it for specifically ypu (freindly reader) I wrote it for my sister, and i know she'll read it no mater what i write. You don't have to read it, but I think it would be unwise of you to rate it off because the good guy dies. In the end, I think you'll really like it. The ending is really sweet. I'm not going to tell you how it ends, that will be for my loyal, non judgemental readers to find out. _

_**P.S. This story is dedicated to my big sister, Lyndsey. I hope you understand the message in the end, No matter how far away I am, you're always in my heart.**_

* * *

**Terminal**

"Evening, Nurse Swan." I heard from behind me. I turned, looking down into the sparkling green eyes of my favorite full-time patient.

"Good evening to yourself, Mr. Cullen." He was sitting in a wheel chair, a pair of pajamas on under a night coat.

"Please, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Edward?"

"Just as many times as I have to ask you to call me Bella." I smirked.

"Alright." He sighed.

"Alright what?"

"Alright, I'll call you Bella. If that's what makes you happy."

"It would be what makes me happy. What about you? What would make you happy right about now?"

"To go home." he said quickly, he'd obviously practiced those words, knowing exactly what to say if someone asked him. I felt a sudden pang of remorse for Edward. He spent his entire life in and out of the hospital.

"I'm sorry Hun. I know it's hard to be away from your family for so long." My eyebrows knit together.

"It's ok. At least I have the cutest nurse to tend on me, hand and foot." He winked at me, laughing. I just rolled my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed anyway?" I accused. It was passed midnight and he needed sleep more than anyone else I knew. I frowned down at him, my hands on my hips. Edward smiled sheepishly back up at me.

"I got lonely. I wanted to come see if you'd keep me company?" he formed it into a question at the end.

"Alright, but we may need some coffee. I'm a fairly boring person tonight."

"What time do you leave us at?" he asked, slightly disappointed that I had to leave. I glanced at the clock above the nurse's station. 12:15 A.M.

"In fifteen minutes." I stated. His face dropped. I hurried to make him smile again. "Not like I have to leave the hospital. I can still stay and visit if you'd like me to, though visiting hours have been over since nine." Edward beamed up at me and beckoned me to follow him as he wheeled himself to the cafeteria in search of coffee.

"Sup, Ed?" Spike, the part time night chef, walked towards Edward. He handed him a bowl with apple pie in it.

"Oh, come on Steven. How many times have I asked you not give anyone but staff, food after ten?" I whined at the chef. Edward glanced up while slurping a piece of apple into his mouth.

"Sorry, Spike. I didn't mean to get you in trouble man."

"It's all good." Spike nodded towards Edward and then came over to me, frowning. I had an amused look on my face as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Ok, you quit calling me Steven, and I'll quit feeding your patients."

"Hey! No fair." Edward called from behind Spike. He knew he had me beat. I couldn't hurt Edward's feelings first of all, and I hated calling a chef 'Spike.'

"No dice." I shook my head.

"Alright then. Dig in Ed." He smiled at me and winked. I rolled my eyes again.

"Okay! Okay!" I sighed as Spike turned around. "You're forgiven _Steven_ if you can dig me up a pot of coffee.

I went into the kitchen with Spike and found a pot of coffee and two extra-large cups for us. I took a big sip of plain black. It wasn't as good as when it had milk in it but I was too tired to care. I walked out of the kitchen – coffees in hand – to find Edward balancing on the two back wheels of his chair.

"You know you don't really need a wheel chair." I yelled towards him.

"SHIT!" Edward jumped and lost control of his chair, he flew out of it while the chair fell over. He obviously hadn't heard me coming. The chair was lying beside Edward who was spread eagled on the floor. The first few times this had happened I had run with full speed towards the accident. I was now confident that boys and things with wheel should often be kept separate.

Edward stood up, rubbing his backside, and placed the chair on all fours again.

"I know," he grinned at me, and adorable, breathtaking uneven smile. "But you always walk so damned fast I need it if I want to keep up with you." He frowned, but laughed. I laughed with him.

"You alright there big guy?" I teased. He turned towards me and stuck his tongue out. This just made me laugh harder. Edward walked towards me made sure the lids were tightly stuck on the coffees. I tried to pass him one.

"You hang onto it for a minute. Hang on tight k?" He winked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Edward grabbed me behind the knees and back and picked me up. I protested, but could do nothing with my hands due to the coffee. He sat me in the wheel chair and started towards his room. I crossed my legs and frowned.

"You know, carrying around a nurse all day cannot be good for your health." I told him as he walked slowly back to hall where his room was.

"Nope, nothing wrong with me. Healthy as a horse." He said, smiling wide.

"Hospital records tend to prove you wrong there."

"Just because I have leukemia, doesn't mean I'm sick. Sure Cancer can be perceived as an illness. I kind of see it more as an entrapment. I'm stuck at this hospital for days and sometimes weeks, even though I've never felt better." He was scowling at the hall ahead of us when I looked up into his face. "At least I have a totally hot nurse to imprison with me." He laughed and patted my head. I just rolled my eyes at him. He was a patient, I couldn't think of him that way.

The pat on my head turned into a slight caress of my cheek. I knew I should have leaned away, I knew I shouldn't have led him on. Despite my better judgment, I leaned into his hand and closed my eyes.

He pulled his hand away a few minutes later and I opened my eyes, realizing we were in his room.

"Would you like me to carry you to the bed nurse Swan? Or do you think you can handle it on your own?" He teased me. His face looked amused, but I thought I saw a hint of hopefulness in it.

"I'll be alright. Thanks though." I said, struggling to get out of the chair while still balancing the coffees. He laughed as he watched me fumble around ungracefully in the chair, and came over, pulling me up into a standing position.

Edward plopped down on his bed and held his hand out for the coffee. I handed it to him and he popped the lid off, taking a long sip.

"Who's idea was it to give me coffee at midnight?" He asked me.

"Hmm… I have no idea. I'm sure I'm to blame though somewhere or other. Wasn't very responsible as a nurse of me was it?" I frowned sarcastically.

"Not at all." He muttered, and then turned his head toward me, that same intoxicating, crooked grin plastered across his face. "But I'll forgive you this time."

"Gee, thanks." I smiled at him. Edward patted the end of his bed, beckoning me to come and sit with him. Could I do that? I could do that. I could sit on a patients bed. There was nothing against those rules. I sat carefully on the end of his bed, careful not to jostle him or hurt him in anyway. He took my cup out of my hand and set it with his on the bed side table. I looked at him questioningly. Edward just pointed towards the digital clock on his dresser across the room. It was 12:37.

"Looks like you just got off shift." He said smiling. I thought he meant that I was going to leave right away.

"Well you know, I could stay for a little while longer. I don't have to work tomorrow. So it wouldn't be all—" He cut me off.

"Bella, I know you're going to stay for a while longer." He told me with a smile.

"Then what?" I asked, confused now more than I was before.

He answered by grabbing my waist and pulling me closer to him. I pushed away at first, looking right into his emerald green eyes.

"What are you doing?" I asked, not accusing, but truly curious.

He just pulled my hands away from his shoulders and pulled me onto his lap. He whispered into my ear and I shivered, "Something I really should have done a long time ago."

He held my face between his hands and lowered his mouth to mine. I didn't resist him this time, like I should have.

It wasn't an urgent kiss, it was slow and sweet. Like he really meant it. My heart exploded as I kissed him, pounding harder in my chest. I'm sure if I had been hooked up to the ECG it would have been going fast enough to be considered a stroke.

Edward pulled away from my mouth, but placed his lips on my cheek, then on my jaw. I sat, completely stunned. He moved his face up to look me in the eyes. I was dazed and I knew there must have been glazed look in my eyes.

Edward smiled and laughed once – more of an amused breath than a laugh. I shook my head a few times to clear it then looked into his perfect face. There was something I wasn't supposed to do but I couldn't think of what it was now. There had been something I wasn't allowing myself to do, something that I had just done. I felt guilty, but honestly had no idea why. Edward was still smiling down at me.

"W… What?" I stammered, dazed and confused ever more.

"Bella, you know how I feel about you right?" he asked, his face a little more serious now.

"No?" it was almost a question.

He sighed and said, "Bella, I've really liked you for a very long time now. I thought I was being obvious." He snorted to himself and tightened his grip on my waist. "I can see now you're slightly harder to persuade than I originally thought."

He was serious. I knew he was, because, as much as I didn't want to admit it. I felt the same way. I'd known him for the 3 years he'd been a patient at this hospital. I'd watched him, and helped him whenever he was sick. He'd always been there. I'd always thought of him as my favorite patient. He was more than that. I had suddenly realized… he was my best friend. And now, he wanted more than that? Could I give that to him? Could I spend my life with him?

I already knew the answer to all these questions, of course I did. He really was my best friend. He really was the reason I stayed late and woke up early just to get to the hospital. He really was someone I could see having a future with.

Edward was staring at me expectantly. Waiting for me to tell him how I felt, good or bad. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to say it. Instead I just nestled into his chest, resting my head on his shoulder. I felt him breathe a sigh of relief and hug me in closer to him. He kissed my hair and ran his finger tips up and down my arm.

"So where to go from here?" he asked me, just a whisper.

"Out." I said simply.

"Out?"

"Outside, you know… like flowers, malls, roads." I teased.

"Oh. But what do you mean?" He was confused, it was cute.

"Exactly what I said, out. I'm taking you out tomorrow." I smiled into his chest at the thought of the words I'd just said.

"Oh… are you now?" he laughed silently and shook his head.

"Yep."

"Well, what if I'm the one who wants to take you out?" he asked, sarcastic and serious at the same time.

"Can't happen."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because I'm the one who has to sign the release form." I gave him a wicked little smile and then returned my head to his shoulder.

He laughed louder and hugged my into him. We sat there for a long time. When I finally remember that I had gotten coffee, it had cooled so I let the tired over come me.

I had tried to get up to leave at around two, but he wouldn't let me move.

"I've only just gotten you right where I've wanted you so bad. I'm not letting go anytime soon you know." He had told me.

I let him hold me, thinking I'd wait till he fell asleep to make my escape. He started to hum a lullaby in my ear and I fell asleep in his arms. That was the first night I dreamt about Edward Cullen. He was standing on a dance floor in a handsome tuxedo. I glided forward, more gracefully than I'd ever moved in my life. I caught my reflection in a mirrored wall behind Edward. I was in a floor length blue ball gown. It had a halter top and a large rhinestone set in the center of the chest. The dress flowed out at the waist and parted to the side, revealing a slip of blue lace and more stones. It was a breathtaking dress. Edward smiled down at me and held out his hand. I knew I couldn't dance, but tonight I was just so graceful I thought maybe I could.

He took my hand, and I realized I was wearing a pair of elbow length gloves, the same color as my dress. He twirled me to the music that I hadn't noticed was playing in the background. We danced for what seemed like hours, never getting tired. My feet should have been aching in the three inch heels I wearing but they didn't hurt at all.

Edward held me close during a slow song and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I love you Bella." He told me.

"I love you too, Edward." I mumbled into his chest.

"Bella?" He said, but it wasn't the Edward in my dream, it was the one who was holding me close in reality.

"Bella, did you just say what I think you said?"

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_**Ok so here we go. Longish chapter. I was going to include the next day… but this ran on for longer than I thought it would already, so here we are.**_

_**Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for reading! :) **_

_**Jamie**_


	2. Home, Sweet Home

_**Hey guys, sorry for the long wait between chapters. I've been really busy and only just got out my latest update of HPC. **_

_**Anywhooos, a new poll is out in reference to this story, so check that out when it hits.**_

_**One quick thing, people keep telling me it's going to be hard to read this if they know it has a sad ending. Well two things: One, you don't know. Two, the ending is in the distant future. No time soon. So just don't worry your pretty little faces off. Trust me on this. I love Edward just as much as you all do. I wouldn't do anything that you wouldn't to him.**_

_**Bella Swan**_

"Bella, did you just say what I think you said?" Edward asked me? Truth was I probably had. Why the hell did I have to talk in my sleep? I had been having such a good dream too.

"What do you think I said?" I asked nervously, my head still against his chest.

"Did you just say that you loved me?" He asked, there was a note of something in his voice that I couldn't quite place.

"Uhm, maybe, I don't know. I was dreaming. It was a nice dream, we were dancing and I wasn't falling for once." I said all this very quickly.

His hand slid over my lips as he silenced my rant.

"Bell you shut up and stop ruining my mood for a second?" I moved my head to look him in the face. His eyes were staring at the ceiling and he had that crooked smile plastered on his lips again. He looked down at me, worry creasing his eyes as he saw the look on my face, he quickly let his hand drop.

"What's wrong?" He sounded concerned.

My mind was racing on all gears. Did I really love him? Yes. Should I love him? No. I didn't know I could do this. I'd never felt this way before. I didn't know how to do this. This boy was gorgeous enough to be on a magazine cover, and here he was, falling in love with a nurse. I didn't even know if he loved me!

I'd only kissed him once, we were even officially dating. I couldn't love him yet, at least I couldn't let him know I loved him yet.

"Nothing really, just embarrassed." I said truthfully. This confused him.

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"Because I talk in my sleep, and it's way too early to say anything like that."

"What makes it too early?"

I frowned, was he really so oblivious? Or was he just hopelessly in love too?

"Well, first of all I've only kissed you one ti—" I said

"Well we can change that," he interrupted me. Edward wrapped his hands around my neck and pulled me into him, kissing him again.

I was dazed and confused by the time he pulled away, my eyes searching for something to focus on.

"Now, as you were saying?" he asked, a triumphant tone to his voice.

"What was I saying?" I asked.

"You were telling me why it was too early for "I love you"s." Edward reminded me.

"Oh yea. And second of all, we're not technically dating."

Edward just rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine. Bella, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked with the sweetest, most innocent voice ever.

I just stared at him incredulously. Was he kidding? I didn't care. I was going to jump on that opportunity.

"Of course." I told him, he smiled the crooked smile that had always been my favorite.

"Alright, what seems to be the problem?" Edward was just grinning at me. He was clearly amused as I searched for a way to ease my embarrassment.

"I didn't mean to creep you out. I mean, love is a really strong thing. I didn't mean to say anything like that so early in our relationship." I was frowning.

He just pulled me close into him.

"Bella, do you really love me?" He asked, looking at me through those unbearably long eyelashes.

"I think so. I've never felt this way about someone before." I said embarrassed again and looking away.

He pulled my face closer to his and kissed my cheek, then my jaw, finally resting his lips near my ear.

"Good," he whispered, "Because I love you too."

My head snapped back in his direction, he still had that big crooked smile glued to his face. His hands were around my waist and he slowly pulled me in closer to him. My hands were fixed on his chest, but I wasn't pushing away this time. I was pulling myself as close to him as I could.

Our lips met in the middle and moved in synchronization, like two pieces of a puzzle finally finding their perfect match together. His hand was brushing up my arm, to my shoulder, up my cheek and he wrapping his fingers into my hair, holding me closer to him.

I could have spent all night kissing Edward. It felt so right. All feelings that I was doing the wrong thing had completely vanished and were replaced with irrevocable love for him. And he felt the same way. Something I would have never thought possible. How could this man—in all his perfection—love someone like me? It was hardly plausible. Yet here he was.

My head started to spin, so I broke away from the kiss and leaned back to look at his face.

"Whoa." Edward whispered, as his eyes met mine and his head swayed slightly. He blinked a few times.

"Yea." I nodded. We were both temporarily daze and needed a second to gather our scattered thoughts.

I glanced at the clock. My mouth fell open when I realized what time it was.

"Edward did you even sleep last night?" I asked.

"Not really. I had other things on my mind." He smiled at me and glanced at the clock himself.

"Whoa it's daytime." He laughed.

I jumped out of his arms and off the bed. He immediately protested of course. "Hey, where are you going?" He frowned.

I checked his chart at the end of the bed. Scanning the sheet for his schedule.

Edward slid to the end of the bed and glanced over the chart at my face.

"Anything interesting?" he asked, amused.

"Yes, very." I said. He looked confused now.

"What is it?"

"You don't have radiation for another 3 days and I have the next two off." I smiled at him and set his chart back down.

"Oh, that is interesting. So what are we going to do at 6:30 AM on Friday?"

"Well, I'm going to sign you out, and then we're going back to my place so I can get changed. After that… well it's a surprise."

I signed him out at the front desk and the nurses looked at me strangely, considering I was still wearing yesterday's scrubs. I smiled and walked out the double doors to the parking lot, where my black Lincoln was parked.

"Whoa, shiny." Edward said as I slid into the driver's seat.

"I like things that sparkle in the sunlight." I told him.

We drove to my house. Quiet most of the way, he rested his hand on my knee and memorized the directions. My house was set slightly into the woods. There was trees surrounding the outside, and the nearest house was about 500 feet away.

I pulled my keys from my bag and stuck them in the door. I ushered Edward inside and he looked around, amazed. My house was nothing really fancy. Just plain. I had decorated exactly how I liked it, with a theme of blues and greens and white. The staircase in the middle of the big open room was split in the middle with a landing. I had small accent pieces set around the living room and kitchen area. It was a good thing I hadn't been home much in the last few days or the place may have been a mess.

"You have a beautiful house Bella." He told me, picking up lime that was for decoration in a bowl on my coffee table.

"Oh, thanks." I said. I knew Edward's family was wealthy. I thought maybe they had a very large, nice house. I didn't think he would like my small two bedroom accommodations very much. But he was wandering around the living room like a kid in a candy store, kneeling down to look at things on lower shelves then standing up again to scan the top ones.

"Make yourself at home, there's food in the fridge if you want something to eat. I know the hospital food kind of sucks." I told him

"You get used to it after three years." He shrugged, "But thank you, do you mind if I have a look around?"

"No, no. That's fine. What's mine is yours." I told him.

I ran up the staircase and straight to the bathroom, I still wasn't sure what we were going to do that day, and I needed a moment to think. I showered as quickly as I could and raced to my bedroom, almost knocking a picture off the wall. I threw clothes all over the place as I looked for something decent to wear. I opted for the khaki shorts and white tank top, throwing on a short sleeve cardigan incase it got cold. It was June, but still, the nights here were cool.

I flung myself out of my room, I didn't want to keep Edward waiting, but really had to do my hair. I left the door open behind me and hurtled myself towards the bathroom. I crashed headlong into something and should have bounced backwards, except that it caught me.

Edward's arms wrapped tightly around my waist, holding me securely upright. He was grinning down at me. I realized for the first time just how tall he was. Almost 6' 4", clearly towering about a foot above me.

"Where's the fire?" He asked sarcastically.

"I didn't want to keep you waiting. You're stranded here, so I was trying to be quick about it."

"Love, you can hold me hostage anytime." He winked and gave me that crooked smile.

I pushed out of his arms—something I really didn't want to do—and ran to the bathroom. Pulling out the blow dryer and ridding my hair of moisture. I threw on a quick layer of makeup and bounded back out the door. He wasn't in the hallway when I got back out.

"Edward?" I yelled softly.

"In here, love." He called. I frowned, what did he want from my bedroom?

I walked in and he was sprawled across my bed, twirling my remote in his hand. When he saw me enter he set it back on the bedside table and sat up, propping himself with his elbows.

"Don't you ever get lonely here, all by yourself?" He asked.

"Not really. I was going to get a pet once, but I didn't think it would be fair to the animal because of how much I work."

"Bella, I've never once seen you watching the clock, or rushing to get home. Don't you ever have boyfriends that you'd like to go out with, or come home to?" He asked.

I snorted, "Edward, when do I have time for a boyfriend?"

"You have time for me." He corrected.

"Yes, but you're different." I told him.

"How?"

"I can actually see myself having a future with you, whereas other boys only have a here and now."

"How could we have known each other for almost three years, and never realized how we feel about one another?" He looked frustrated at this.

"I guess we were looking, but not seeing."

"People tend to do that, don't they?" he sighed. I sat on the edge of the bed and slowly scooted myself a little closer to him. Edward smiled and held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me in against his chest.

"I think people need to slow down, and really take a look around themselves. They might be surprised by what they find." Edward told me, running his fingers up my arm.

"Life's too short to take too much time though." I told him.

"That's not true. Life gives you just enough time to do everything on your list."

"What's on your list?"

"Too many things. Life's going to cut my list short, I think." He hummed a tuneless song and thought for a moment.

"Well maybe that's not true." He continued. "Life is slowly starting to check off my list. That also makes me wonder…" He stopped, still deep in concentration, thinking.

"Makes you wonder what?" I asked, curious.

"Remind me to tell you when I'm sure."

"Alright." I sighed and nestled into his chest. We didn't need to go out right now.

"I guess "out" can wait until later, huh?" He asked, amused. I nodded into his chest and he let his arm down. So he was laying flat on his back. I pulled myself closer into him. Our fingers linked together and rested on his stomach. We both fell asleep, hands knitted together and bodies as close as possible.

Finally, I was home.

_**K guys, I have a new poll up. So vote in that. It might influence my ending… I really don't want a mob to attack my house. It'd be really cool if I could sleep soundly knowing no pitchforks and burning arrows were aiming towards me.**_

_**You can find some pictures and such (Like Bella's Car and Ball Gown from the previous chapter) on my profile page, I have a link section. So check that out. Also, HPC is almost done. D: I know Sad, sad. But that just means there will be more frequent posts for Terminal. Yaya!**_

_**Review and Vote in the poll. What do you think Bella is going to do with Edward for the next two days? Family, Restaurants, Carnivals? Opinions people! :)**_

_**Jamie (Hope you like it so far Biss)**_


	3. Sizzler

_**Sorry guys and girls. I meant to post this yesterday, but I was having major internet malfunctions.**_

_**Ok, so here we go. The poll results are tallying… you all say that "Edward SHOULD JUST NOT DIE YOU FOOL!" Ok… that makes me think you all want him to live. WELL ME TOO DAMNIT! I'm an Edward lover! How do you think giving him cancer makes me feel? D:**_

_**I just know how it's going to end… so I'm not sad… : I'm actually happy and really excited at how it's going to end. The ending I have created… is sort of like the human version of how I saw Breaking Dawn ending… sort of. Minor differences.**_

_**Guys and Gals, : Chapter 3.**_

_**Bella Swan**_

We were in the car again. Edward and I had sat in my bedroom for more than an hour, just enjoying each other's company. It was nice for it to feel so natural between us already, that neither of us even had to talk. Edward just laid there, holding me close and humming that same tune. It was sweet, like a lullaby. Something you hum to a crying child to get them to relax. I was on the verge of unconsciousness when I jumped up and told him we had to get going, because we only had two days.

He told me that he didn't care what we did, that even sitting here was nice.

"Well, I have big plans for us. We're going out." I told him.

He just grinned a crooked smile at me.

I was just pulling into the parking lot when suddenly an excited little gasp came from next to me. I turned in my seat to see what was wrong. Edward had the biggest goofy grin pasted across his face. He looked at me with sparkling green eyes and an excitement I had never seen in his face before.

"You're taking me to a carnival?" He exclaimed.

I couldn't help but beam myself, at his excitement. I was happy that he was more than up for a day at the fair.

"That does appear to be where we are. I'm glad you like carnivals." I said, still smiling.

"I'd like anything as long as you were there, Bella. But yes, I have been trying to plan a day at the carnival for quite a while now. It's one of the things on my list."

"Ah, the infamous list. You'll have to give me a copy of that sometime." I told him.

"You won't need one for a while."

"Always so cryptic, Mr. Cullen?"

"It's in the job description." He smiled at me, showing off a row of perfect straight teeth.

"And what job employs you?"

"Life." I must have looked confused, because then he said, "I'll explain someday, I promise."

He got out of the car then and ran to the other side before I could even turn the thing off. He opened my door for me and held his hand out. I looked at him questioningly.

"What? Hasn't a man ever opened a door for you?" He asked.

"Not a car door, when I was getting out." I told him honestly, taking his hand.

"Remind me to give your ex-boyfriends a lesson in male etiquette."

Edward and I walked toward the entrance gate of the carnival and stood in line. He took hold of my hand and continued to stare around at all the rides and booths.

"What can I get for you?" The clerk at the ticket booth asked me. She was quite bored looking, and must have been in her early twenties, a little younger than me.

"I need two wrist bands, for all day." I told her. She rang in the total and I passed over the bills. I stuck a wrist band around Edward's wrist and secured my own, the tape sticking slightly to a small hair on my arm.

"Bella, you know I could have paid for that." He said.

"Oh yea, I know you could have. I just didn't let you."

He laughed and pulled me towards the center of the carnival. There were people everywhere. Children running and adults laughing. It wasn't that busy. It was a weekday the crowds wouldn't be here until tomorrow, so the lines were relatively short.

"What do you want to do first?" I asked him. His eyes were still scanning everything around us.

"That's hard to say." he pondered for a moment. "Maybe the Sizzler?"

"Anything you want." I assured him, though inside I was shaking desperately. Rides that spun were not my point of strength.

Edward pulled us along through the crowd and stood us in line for the ride. The whole contraption was painted in metallic green, red and gold. We were sat in a green seat that spun clockwise while the entire machine spun counterclockwise. Edward sat on the right so that I wouldn't get squished when the ride began to gain momentum. He wrapped his arm around me and waited patiently for the other passengers to get loaded on and buckled in.

My stomach was internally cringing, but Edward looked so excited and cheerful that I would never tell him how much I hated fast rides. I would endure this day. _Because I love him_. I thought to myself.

The mechanism jerked into motion and pulled us forward into a slow circle. I thought we might hit the wall, but we veered off just in time, avoiding an, I'm sure, painful collision. As the ride increased in velocity I was being pressed into Edward's side. His arm was tight around me, holding me into him. I buried my face in his shoulder. Unable to fight the gravitational pull I was feeling, towards the center of the machine. Edward's buoyant laughter was the only thing that kept my stomach from pitching its contents. The fact that he was having a great time, made the whole experience almost enjoyable. The other passengers were all screaming and laughing, but I kept my head safely tucked into Edwards shoulder.

The ride began to slow and my stomach loosened up a bit. Our car was unlocked and Edward pushed it open, hopping out. He held out his hand and I took it, not wanting to make a fool out of myself by tripping and landing face first. I was still dizzy from all the spinning.

"Well that was fun, I think we should do that one again." Edward exclaimed, putting his arm around my waist and sauntering out of the "exit" gate.

"We have all day, dear. Let's give the other children a chance to ride it too." I smiled at him jokingly, but inside I was glad I had dodged that bullet. I was sure how many times I could be 'sizzled' and live to tell the tale.

"Ok. What do you want to go on next?" he asked. I decided I wasn't going to turn down his courtesy and let him chose, instead I was going to chose something calm and quiet.

"The train?" I asked with a smile. He laughed and looked at me like I was crazy, questioning my sanity. But he assured himself that I was and led me over to where the miniature station was.

The train went around the entire fair grounds. It was only about 15 cars long and each car could only hold two people or four small children, but it would be nice to see the whole place, and a good opportunity to relax my stomach.

We had to sit on the bench at the station and wait for the train to come in. Edward pulled me onto his lap.

" I feel like an idiot." He told me, an amused look on his face.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"I'm 24 and I'm riding a train for five year olds." He laughed.

"Would you feel so stupid if you had a kid with you?"

"Probably not. You're riding it for the kid then." He mused.

"Well, you're riding it for me now. Not for you." I winked at him and he laughed again.

"I guess."

The train came in then and Edward pulled me to my feet while all the children and their parents' unloaded. Two teenagers, who must have skipped classes stepped off the back car. The boy's hair was messed up and he was wiping his face. Edward and I just laughed, knowing that an 'on-train make out session' must have just occurred. He pulled me into the back car where the two teenagers had just left. There was precisely enough room for us to sit comfortably side by side.

I leaned into Edward's chest, and he let out a small sigh. I looked up into his face. He was looking off somewhere, deep in concentration. I wondered what he was thinking about. He was sitting perfectly still, one arm woven around my waist and the other arm resting on his leg. I reached out and took his other hand, twining my fingers through his.

Edward leaned down and kissed my hair, leaving his chin to rest against the top of my head. His breath was warm and it tickled my neck making me shiver. His arms tightened ever so slightly around me as the train chugged on.

"Bella?" He finally spoke.

"Yes?" I replied.

"You know that I'll love you forever right?" He asked. Where did that come from? I decided to be light about it.

"I do now." I told him smiling.

"I'm serious. You know that whatever happens, I love you." He was serious.

"Yes, I know that. You know the same about me right? Whatever happens, there's no turning back now. I love you." I said firmly.

"I do know that. And you don't know how happy it makes me feel."

I leaned my head up and caught his lips with mine. He released my hand and cupped my chin in his palm. My hand reached up and knotted into his hair. We pulled each other closer, our lips moving together and my hair blowing around us in the wind.

"Eww! Look mommy! Their kissing!" A small boy of about six informed his mother. His mother looked towards us and 'tisked'. Edward and I broke apart and I could feel the blood rushing to my face while his was already tinged with pink. The train came to a stop then and I clamored out of the car and back onto solid ground.

"Well that wasn't as bad as most train rides." Edward informed me.

"That's only because you got in a quick smooch." I winked at him.

"Hey, kisses make everything better, ok?" He laughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me forward and to the next ride.

By six o'clock we had been on every ride, and some twice. I knew Edward wasn't ready to go home yet, but I needed a break from all the spinning.

"Edward please, just go on this one without me." I argued with him. He was trying to get me to go on the swinging ship again.

"I really need a break from amusement rides." I pleaded.

"Ok, that's fine. We'll go on it later." He grinned at me. "Besides, you still need a teddy bear." Edward laughed at the questionable look on my face and dragged me toward the game stalls.

"Oh come one. These games are all rigged." I told him

"Not if you know how to play them." He assured me.

He placed three dollars on the counter and the man behind it gave him five rings that he had to throw over the necks of bottles. 3 rings and you won a poster, 4 rings and you won a small bear, all five rings and you won the big teddy bear.

Of course, Edward threw one ring and it slid cleanly over the neck of the bottle, the second ring the same, the third, the fourth and the fifth all landing with a light _clink_ over the glass. The man behind the counter begrudgingly told Edward to pick out a bear.

"Which one do you want Bella?" Edward asked me.

"No, Edward. I can't take that, you won it." I told him.

"I won it for you silly. You think I'm just going to take an overstuffed bear back to the cancer ward with me?" he laughed and indicated for me to pick out an animal. I went for the classic brown bear with the big bow around its neck. It was big enough for me to sit in its arms and use as a chair. So Edward carried it, considering it was about the same size as me. He shoved it under one arm and held my hand with the other.

"I want some cotton candy, hold on." I directed him towards the stall where the pink and blue clouds of spun sugar were sitting on paper cones. I paid the man and he gave me one, winking at me. Edward tensed and raised his eyebrow at the sugar seller. The man then directed his attention immediately to making another cone to fill the spot where mine had just been.

"Want some?" I asked Edward.

"I would, but both my hands are currently occupied." He smiled at me and held up our intertwined fingers.

I stopped in front of him and leaned my body into his. I placed the cone between our two hands and plucked off a large chunk of the pink fluff. I raised it to his mouth and popped it into his mouth. I stuck a big chunk into my own and let the sugar melt across my tongue. I tugged another piece off and held it close to his mouth, just before he could take the bite I pulled my hand back and stuck the sugary cotton in my mouth. He looked at me with a sad look, his bottom lip pouting out.

"No fair." Edward complained.

I pulled off another piece and stuck it in his mouth. His smile returned and he began walking again. He towed me over to carousel and we waited for our turn in line.

"What are we doing here?" I asked him.

"Going to ride the carousel?" his voice lifted at the end making it sound like a question. The music emanating from the center of the merry-go-round slowed and came to a stop and the children all jumped off. Edward set the bear in one of the seats behind the horse we were standing by and lifted me onto the back of the painted wood pony. He then dug into his pocket and removed his cell phone. He held the phone as far from him as possible and leaned his head toward me. The carousel started to move and the music played.

"Please smile Bella." He requested. I did as he asked and smiled through a kiss I planted on his cheek. I heard the mechanical _click_ through the camera phone and he pulled it away, flipping it open and smiling when he saw the picture.

The ride halted and we got off, dragging the teddy with us.

"You look tired Bella." Edward said to me, taking my hand again.

"I am a little, but I'll be alright." I told him, a traitorous yawn escaping only seconds after I said this.

He laughed and informed me that it was time to leave.

"But we didn't get to go on the swinging ship again." I protested. Though I knew if I stayed on my feet much longer I would collapse.

"I'll survive." His lips twitched into a slight grimace, like he knew some sort of private, unpleasant joke.

He asked for my keys when we got to car and I didn't argue. I was far too tired to keep alert on the highway. Edward drove slowly, holding my hand the whole time.

I unlocked the door when we arrived back home. Edward stepped inside and turned around to face me. He placed his hands on my hips and I stood on my toes to kiss him. He lowered his head to meet me in the middle and our lips met. We stood kissing in my front hall for seconds, hours, days. I didn't even know. A whole year could have passed and I would have been none the wiser. My arms wrapped around his neck and my fingers knotted into his hair, while his hand found the exposed small of my back and he pulled me up into him, arching my body into his. His lips parted slightly and his tongue traced the bottom of my lip.

I jumped suddenly when his phone vibrated in his pocket, right were our legs were touching. He laughed and we disentangled ourselves so that he could answer his phone.

"Hello?" He asked tentatively. "Oh, Hey mom."

I heard someone yelling through the receiver. Edward held the cell about two inches away from his ear.

"I'm sorry ok, by the time I got out of the hospital it wasn't even seven yet. And then we got distracted, I'm sorry you were worried." He assured his mother. I felt bad for taking him out of the hospital and not telling anyone. But he was a grown man now.

"Mom I'm 25. I can take care of myself." Edward sighed, mirroring my thoughts.

"And yes I said 'we.' Bella and I." He continued. "Bella. You know, Nurse Swan?" Edward clarified.

His face was suddenly tinged with pink, he was blushing.

"Yes, we are." He said, I could only assume she asked if we were dating. There was another pause and Edward laughed nervously.

"I'll see what she thinks, but if she doesn't like the idea than, no." He said. "I have to go alright? I love you too mom. Bye."

He shut the phone and rolled his eyes.

"What was that all about?" I asked him, amused.

"She wants to meet you," Edward whispered.

My eyes widened.

"Your mom wants to meet me?"

"My whole family wants to meet you." He said.

Uh Oh.

_**Ok so that was a really long chapter. One of the longest I've written. A lot happened in that chapter that will be super important later. So read carefully. I've hinted at a lot of what's going to happen. I would like it if people stopped PMing me for previews. I've just hinted at a lot, so we need no previews.**_

_**I have a link posted on my profile that leads to a picture of the 'Sizzler.' So if you've never been on one before, you can see what they look like.**_

_**Anyway, R&R. **_

_**This is for Z. Remember that day? With the Zipper? :D Jamie**_


	4. Family

_**Ok, So I haven't updated in awhile. I was too busy updating Her Private Concert. Readers for that fic gave me a ton of reviews, so I had to update sooner. Seriously, when you guys review saying that you want me to update really bad, then I will. I love hearing that you're excited for the next chapter.**_

_**I'm going to be writing Her Private Concert a little more steadily now. It's almost over, so once it's out of the way then we get Terminal back on the road.**_

_**I have another idea for a new fic that I'm defiantly all over, I'm going to try and finish up this story within a few weeks. Yaya. Lol.**_

_**I don't really think I'm going to have any POV's other than Bella. So you can assume it's always her narrating, unless it says otherwise at the top. I'm thinking on one Edward Chap.**_

I breathed deeply trying to practice conversations in my mind. I was scared to death. What if they didn't like me? What if they hated me? What if they hated Edward for choosing me? This whole topic was surely going to turn me prematurely grey.

Edward had spent the night at my house. We slept on my bed, he held me in his arms. It wasn't awkward. There was no tension of pressure between us. It was just normal. Like it was meant to be. I still didn't understand why I had waited so long to recognize how I felt about him.

He was driving again, claiming that he was going to bring his car with him next time because he felt bad for using my gas, due to the raise in price of finite resources. I told him it didn't matter, but he was persistent.

I was chewing my lip off and wringing my hands, a flock of nervous butterflies assaulting my stomach. Edward glanced over at me while bobbing his head and mouthing the words to a song that was playing the radio.

"Bella? Are you alright? You're about to amputate your lip, you might want to loosen up on it a bit." He smiled at me sarcastically. I just looked at him, gave him a smile that must have looked completely forced and completely ridiculous, because he burst in laughter.

"What?" I drawled, my knuckles breaking under the force of my wringing hands.

Edward removed his hand from the wheel and separated my knotted fingers. He took my left hand and kissed it, twining our fingers together.

"Relax, love. Why are you so afraid?" He asked.

"What if your family doesn't like me?" I said under my breath.

He frowned and looked at me incredulously.

"Bella? Are you kidding me? They're already met you, on several different occasions. You are my attending nurse after all. My mother simply wants to meet you in this new frame of mind. They've never really thought of you as much more than my best friend. She wants to meet the woman that's kept me out of the dating pool for the last two years. She's been trying to hook me up left right and center, little did she know, I was already in love. I'm beginning to suspect she'd written me off as a homosexual. Until yesterday that is." He joked. But frowned at the same time.

I Laughed. I couldn't imagine his mother's frustration as he turned down beautiful woman after beautiful woman. I probably would have expected as much myself.

Edward looked back over at me and smiled when he saw my relieved expression. I was feeling better. I didn't even think of the fact that I already knew his entire family and was actually good friends with his sister, Alice.

We pulled up to Edward's family's house—well mansion—and my eyes widened. It was three stories high with white paneling on the outside and big bay windows in the living room. The porch was long and wrapped all the way from one end of the front of the house, to the other, white columns spaced every 10 feet or so.

Edward shut the engine off. He climbed out the car again and walked in a brisk pace around the front while I collected my purse from the backseat. My door opened and Edward's hand appeared near my face, offering to help me out. I was getting used to this routine by now. Once I had beaten Edward to the door and climbed out on my own. He looked at me and pouted, telling me, it was one of his favorite parts of being a man. That he could also be a _gentleman_. I humored him.

I took Edward's hand and he pulled my lightly from the car, shutting the door behind me and pulling me close to his side.

"You ready?" He asked.

"I guess." I smiled at him, a real smile. I wasn't afraid anymore.

We walked to the house and up the three steps that would take us to the top of the deck. I could hear the _flap-flap_ of my sandals and the soft _thud-thud_ of Edward's dress shoes. His attire was always so formal, button down shirt, black slacks and dress shoes formal. Even his flannel pajamas were fashioned by high and might, prestigious clothing designers.

The front door opened before me approached it, revealing Esme in all her beauty. It was easy to see where Edward, Alice and Emmett—Edward's older brother—got their looks from. Esme and Carlisle—Edward's father—had the most beautiful faces. Esme had caramel colored hair that waved past her shoulders and cascaded down her back. Her face was creased in age, but it was only lines that showed a lifetime of smiling and laughing. I knew Esme was in her late forties, but she never looked a day past thirty. Carlisle was much the same there. He was older than Esme, but did not look past the age of thirty. His blonde hair was combed back neatly and he had on a black suit with a light blue shirt on underneath. He looked debonair, like he was fresh from shooting the latest James Bond movie.

Esme walked forward, closing the space between us, a maternal grin on her face. She took me into a tight hug, much to my surprise. Then held me at arm's length and looked over me. She sighed in a happy way and repeated the process with Edward. He hugged her back willingly but rolled his eyes when she stood back and took the two of us in.

Carlisle walked out the front door and came to stand behind his wife.

"Good to see you again, Nurse Swan." Carlisle greeted me. Truth was I saw him almost every day. He worked in diagnostics two floors down, in the same hospital as me. I'd never see outside of the hospital.

"Please, call me Bella." I told him.

"Come inside! All of you." Esme ushered us through the door of her home and bustled around the room, picking up plates and setting them in the middle of the table. She set down platters full of sweets and snacks. Esme poured 4 glasses of wine but set out another 4 to the side.

Edward caught on that note too.

"Who else is coming?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"Just a family get together. Alice is bringing Jasper and Rose and Emmett are coming."

I had met Jasper on several occasions. He was Alice's boyfriend. They had been high school sweet hearts and had been together for more than 7 years. Jasper was a quiet man. He tended to stand in the back and contemplate things that no one ever knew. He was always deep in thought and always kind natured. Though he had a comedic side to him.

I had met Emmett's girlfriend, Rose, only twice before. She was someone I was having trouble getting along with. Her beauty was only surpassed by her conceit. She knew full well she was gorgeous and planned to make everyone around her hyperaware of it too. Even if they didn't want to be. She had Emmett wrapped around her little finger, but he loved it there. So no one complained. They were a good match, almost meant for each other.

"Do either Alice or Emmett know about Bella yet?" Edward asked.

"No, I haven't seen Alice since your last treatment on Thursday. And Emmett and Rose have been off celebrating her birthday, a week early, in ways that I'm sure no mother would be proud of." Esme frowned and winced, an image probably flooding his mind. A shiver was sent through the room as we all simultaneously thought of something along the lines to Esme's train of thought.

The door flung open and Alice and Emmett burst in. Alice was punching Emmett's arm with her tiny fists as Emmett flicked her arm, probably bruising her worse than she was him. They stopped then they saw us and Alice smiled.

"So Ed?" Alice began, "You finally ask her out?"

"Yes," He stated simply. Emmett groaned and Alice beamed, holding out her hand. Emmett dug in his pocket and smacked a bill into her hand.

"I told you he wasn't gay!" Alice laughed.

Edward groaned as his palm made contact with his forehead.

Jasper and Rosalie walked in then. Jasper smiled tentatively at me. While Rosalie just nodded in my direction. Her long, waist length blond hair cascading over her shoulder as she did. She swept it back and looked up me briefly, a look of malice in her eyes.

Whoa. This should make for an interesting night.

_**Ok my poppets. This chapter has been pwned. I was writing the last chapter of this on the weeked, made myself tear (as in watery eyes.) I'm excited though. It ended off totally wicked.**_

_**Anyway, Review please? I really like the reviews you guys send me. I'm hoping to get 50? It would be awesome to have 50 before my next chap.**_

_**Review and I'll update soon. **_

_**Jamie **_


	5. Sorry Guys

_**Ok, So I see death glares coming my way.**_

_**I'm sorry guys, but I must put Terminal on hold. **_

_**I have too much school work, too much work, work and I'm still trying to finish Her Private Concert (HCP.)**_

_**HPC is only about 4 more chapters so Terminal will be back with us soon.**_

_**I Promise. Please don't be mad. I don't want you all to be mad because I leave off on cliffys all the time and the time between chapters has been elongating. **_

_**I've left off on a place that is fairly predictable, right now is just a filler. Trying to waste time until the real story starts. Boring chapters and all.**_

_**Please bear with me… and try not to berate me too much over Reviews and PM's**_

_**Sorry once again….**_

_**Jamie **_


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